Dimitri Payet has denied that he betrayed West Ham and declared that he has 'no need to justify himself' following his controversial £25million transfer to Marseille.

In east London, Payet has been cast as a traitor after manager Slaven Bilic stated that the winger refused to play or train for the club as he sought to enforce a return to France.

Relations have soured to the extent that club CEO Karren Brady tweeted on Monday to encourage fans to take replica shirts bearing Payet's name back to the club store, offering replacement shirts for £25. And the son of the club's owner David Sullivan tweeted, too, comparing Payet to a snake.

Dimitri Payet is unveiled as a Marseille player on Monday alongside club president Jacques-Henri Eyraud (right) and sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta

Payet beams after rejoining Marseille from West Ham in a £25million deal

The France international said he felt no need to 'justify' his mutinous behaviour to West Ham

Payet makes a gesture with his hands during his unveiling press conference in Marseille

It also emerged that West Ham made the Frenchman pay back his £500,000 salary for January before they agreed to the move. The Hammers were prepared to pull the plug on the deal unless Payet returned the money he was paid while refusing to play for the club.

On Monday sources in Marseille indicated that the seeds of the transfer were sown as long ago as the European Championship when Payet declared 'Ici c'est chez moi' (My home is here) after scoring for France against Albania.

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Since then, Marseille have been making overtures in order to persuade Payet of the need to return to the club. Payet sealed his transfer on Sunday evening. He had been in Paris over the weekend before heading south and reuniting with his wife Ludivine and three children.

Payet has been consistent throughout that he was returning for family reasons. In the south of France, the landscape could hardly have been more contrasting to the hostility that remains at West Ham.

Payet has sealed a £25m return to Marseille after forcing his way out of West Ham

Payet signed a four-and-a-half-year deal, with the option of a further year, at Stade Velodrome

Marseille shared a video of the Frenchman undergoing his medical on Snapchat

Marseille paraded their club record signing, hailing the return of the player they sold to West Ham only 18 months ago. Before Payet entered the room, a video montage of his best moments in Marseille and France colours was played.

The club president Jacques-Henri Eyraud and sporting director Andoni Zubizarreta praised the player, lauding him as a 'man of strong principle' and even underlining his 'discipline'.

Eyebrows will surely have been raised in the West Ham boardroom at that particular juncture.

Payet was filmed arriving in France for his medical on Sunday ahead of completing his move

The French playmaker has made the move from West Ham to Marseille for a fee of up to £30m

Payet then took the stage and, when asked by Sportsmail whether he feels the need to explain his recent conduct, replied: 'I was not feeling good in the club any more. I don't need to justify my behaviour at all. Slaven Bilic and I had conversations face to face.

'I will speak about all this, but not now. It's not the right moment. I prefer to savour this moment at a great club and return to that at a later date.'

Payet has taken a significant wage cut in order to finalise the move and the French winger said: 'If I was in this for the money, I would have been in a different country a very long time ago.

'It is not my motivation. This has been a sacrifice financially but money doesn't drive me.'

It should, however, be said that Payet's £100,000-per-week salary will still make him the highest paid player in Marseille's history.

He will make his second Marseille debut at home to Lyon this evening but he did pay tribute to West Ham supporters. This was the one moment where a sense of regret appeared.

Payet told West Ham he wanted out earlier this month and has been training with their U23s

Marseille fixtures

Tuesday Lyon (H)

French Cup last 32

February 3 Metz (A)

February 8 Guingamp (H)

February 12 Nantes (A)

February 18 Rennes (H)

February 26 Paris Saint-Germain (H)

'I had an exceptional first year at West Ham. It didn't end in the way I would have wanted it to. I have very special memories of the West Ham fans.'

The saga has been drawn out and Payet did not play for West Ham for three weeks before the deal was concluded.

'January has been a very long month,' the 29-year-old said.

'I was training every day but without a match at the weekend and it's complicated. The power struggle began a while ago, it has been a long time. I was clear from the start I wanted to return and I was missing France and Ligue 1.

'I am very happy to return here. It's my home. I want to thank everyone that made it happen.'

Fans get Payet off their backs

West Ham fans who bought shirts bearing Payet's name under the assumption he'd stay put after he signed a new contract until 2021 have complained that their £60 purchases are now redundant.

However, club CEO Karren Brady has moved to try and appease fans by today offering an exchange at club shops.

She tweeted in response to one fan who had complained about his Payet shirt: 'Morning, bring back your Payet shirt to any of the club shops & you will get a new replacement for £25, full details on WHU web site today.'